Strategic Advisor, Workforce Development, American Climate Corps 

Position Description

The Need:

On September 20th, 2023 President Biden announced The American Climate Corps (ACC), a new effort to train young people in high-demand skills for jobs in the clean energy economy. American Climate Corps members will work to conserve our lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, advancing environmental justice, deploying clean energy, implementing energy efficient technologies, and tackling climate change. American Climate Corps members will gain the skills necessary to access good-paying jobs that are aligned with high-quality employment opportunities after they complete their paid training or service program.

The American Climate Corps aims to mobilize more than 20,000 Americans and will focus on equity and environmental justice – prioritizing communities traditionally left behind, including energy communities that powered our nation for generations, leveraging the talents of all members of our society, and prioritizing projects that help meet the Administration’s Justice40 goal. 

The Opportunity:

The American Climate Corps is seeking an experienced Strategic Advisor for Workforce Development to lead our efforts to expand pathways to good-paying, family sustaining jobs in the public and private sectors of clean energy and climate resilience.

Last year, the Biden-Harris administration announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a paid workforce training and service initiative that will ensure young people have access to the skills-based training necessary for careers in clean energy and climate resilience. The American Climate Corps is launching this summer with a goal of deploying 20,000 Corps members in its first year.

Workforce development is central to the mission of the American Climate Corps, and AmeriCorps is collaborating with labor unions, employers, workforce development organizations, and Federal agencies as we stand up this new initiative. This position would play an essential role in ensuring this program achieves its fullest potential and mobilizes a diverse, new generation into the workforce of the future.

This position reports to the Director of the American Climate Corps.

The Strategic Advisor, Workforce Development’s duties and responsibilities at AmeriCorps will include but are not limited to the following:

  • Develop and implement strategies that ensure American Climate Corps members have the training, experience and skills necessary to continue their climate career after their service. This includes identifying what skills and competencies are needed to succeed in relevant professions, building new partnerships and informing the Climate Corps training curriculum.
  • Ensure that there are clear, accessible and reliable opportunities for American Climate Corps members to launch their climate career after their service has ended.
  • Foster strong partnerships with labor unions, employers, academic institutions and workforce development organizations to inform the American Climate Corps training program and standards and facilitate post-service pathways.
  • Work closely with the American Climate Corps team to develop and curate training curriculum that will prepare Corps Members for careers in relevant fields.
  • Identify partnerships with Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship programs that could partner directly with the American Climate Corps.
  • Evaluate existing workforce development strategies and adapt those strategies as needed, including assessing the career outcomes of American Climate Corps graduates after they serve.
  • Work with the American Climate Corps team to track existing and emerging labor relationships, labor-backed training models, and other workforce training opportunities across the hundreds of organizations partnered with the American Climate Corps.
  • Represent the American Climate Corps to partners, government agencies and the press as needed.
  • Tell the story of successful workforce development of the American Climate Corps during the program’s first year.

The Person:

The ideal candidate for this role is an intrapreneurial and collaborative problem solver passionate about national service, climate and workforce development.  The ideal candidate is a strong leader who can see the big picture and also manage the day-to-day details of work by effectively managing themselves and others.  This person must be highly self-motivated, organized and excel at implementation of priorities.

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Background investigation/security clearance and verification that he or she has not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by ED required.
  • Military selective service registration by the date of appointment as a STEM Next Opportunity Fund Fellow required (applicable only to males born after December 31, 1959).
  • Minimum 10 years of professional experience; required 3+ experience with a labor union, workforce development office or organization, state/Tribal/federal Department of Labor government office or otherwise relevant position.
  • Deep knowledge of labor market trends, the clean energy economy, workforce development, Registered Apprenticeship Programs, proven labor backed training models and other climate-related industries.
  • Strong track record of designing and implementing projects from start to finish with strong project management skills.
  • Experience working closely with government agencies.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and experience developing strong partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, including employers, labor unions and government staff.
  • Ability to be self-directed and a self-starter.
  • Previous experience working in the Federal Government preferred.

All Fellows are required to pass a background check and security clearance as required by their Federal Agency.

To Apply:

Please submit a written application here – https://forms.gle/o8vr4vMt8w4fYfeA7 by Tuesday June 18th, 2024 at 5pm PT.

Salary and Benefits:

The Salary Range for this position is $115,000-$165,000.  STEM Next provides paid time off, sick leave and 13 federal holidays.  STEM Next provides a comprehensive set of benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, 401(k) Retirement Plan, and Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account.

STEM Next Opportunity Fund is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.

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